Leidos, Idemia PS Advance Checkpoint Modernization with Biometrics, CAT-2 Systems
Leidos and Idemia Public Security have teamed up to roll out biometric‑enabled eGates and CAT‑2 credential authentication systems across U.S. airports. The partnership blends Idemia’s AutoCAT eGate, which verifies identities in real time without storing biometric data, with Leidos’ large‑scale integration expertise. While the TSA’s $12 billion modernization budget has been siphoned to other federal uses, the duo aims to accelerate throughput and security through a scalable, privacy‑preserving checkpoint model. The move comes as Amadeus eyes a $1.4 billion acquisition of Idemia PS to deepen its travel‑biometrics portfolio.
My Presentation at Who Is Real Online?
On May 4, 2026, a speaker presented at Georgetown University’s “Who is Real Online? Personhood, Privacy, and Trust Infrastructure in the Age of AI.” The talk, titled “Decentralized Trust: Three Generations of Digital Identity Protocols,” traced the evolution from centralized identifiers to...
Charge While You Drive? Wireless EV Roads Are Moving Closer to Reality
Researchers at Utah State University and the Michigan Department of Transportation are piloting wireless charging roadways that can power electric vehicles while they travel. Utah's ASPIRE Center is testing magnetic bursts and embedded pads on a quarter‑mile test track and...
DeKalb County HR Policy Council Goes Digital, Cutting Grievances by 50% and Boosting Attendance 67%
DeKalb County, Ga., shifted its quarterly HR policy council meetings to a virtual platform, driving a 67% jump in attendance and a 50% drop in employee grievances. The move also accelerated FMLA processing for its 6,600 staff, showcasing how digital...
Islamabad Rolls Out Paperless One‑Window Driving License System
Chief Traffic Officer Muhammad Sarfraz Virk announced that Islamabad Police has launched a paperless, one‑window driving licence facility on May 3. The new platform consolidates medical checks and issuance into a single digital workflow, requiring applicants to present only their...
Melbourne Airport Deploys AI Agents for Real‑Time Incident Response
Melbourne Airport has integrated autonomous AI agents with its SharePoint knowledge base to deliver instant standard‑operating‑procedure guidance and auto‑generate incident reports. The move, announced by head of data analytics Irfan Khan, marks the first public‑sector airport to use AI agents...
Former Federal Tech Leaders Push for Government Delivery Reform
April Harding, former IRS director of digital services, and Maureen Klovers, ex‑deputy COO of USDA Rural Development, left federal service in 2025 and launched We The Doers, a consultancy focused on government delivery reform. Harding’s tenure produced a five‑year digital...
96% of Federal EV Charging Funds From 2021-2022 Are Unspent
A Sierra Club analysis shows that 96% of the $7.5 billion allocated to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program for 2021‑2022 remains unspent. Only about one‑third of the money has been obligated to specific projects, while two‑thirds sits idle. The...
Growing Agency Talent Is Critical for Modernization, Transportation’s IT Head Says
The U.S. Department of Transportation is driving its "1DOT" initiative to consolidate IT systems, cut technical debt, and streamline processes. Chief Digital and Information Officer Pavan Pidugu says building new technology is easier than reshaping the workforce needed to use...
FIDO Alliance Announces Agenda for Authenticate APAC 2026
The FIDO Alliance unveiled the agenda for Authenticate APAC 2026, its first Asia‑Pacific conference on digital identity and authentication, scheduled for June 2‑3 in Singapore. The two‑day event, backed by signature sponsors Google, Visa and Yubico, will feature leaders from...
Anthropic’s Claude Rolls Out End-User Identity Verification
Anthropic announced that select Claude users must complete a physical government‑issued ID verification (PIDV) using Persona Identities before accessing certain capabilities. The move is framed as part of Anthropic’s AI safety commitments and a response to rising regulatory and abuse...
Future of Nebraska Broadband Office Unclear Following Reduction in Federal BEAD Funds
Nebraska’s Broadband Office, created in 2023 to manage a $405 million BEAD award, has only secured $44.5 million so far. The remaining $340 million sits in limbo as the NTIA delays guidance on non‑deployment uses. Interim director Vicki Kramer says no funds have...
North Carolina Targets Hyperscale Costs with Proposed AI Infrastructure Bill
North Carolina lawmakers introduced the Ratepayer and Resource Protection Act, requiring hyperscale data centers of 40 MW or more to pay the full cost of power, water and infrastructure and to forgo state and local tax incentives. The bill also mandates...
New NTIA Cost Study Lowers 2018 Estimate for Nationwide NG911
The NTIA’s 2026 cost study estimates that completing the nationwide rollout of next‑generation 911 will require $5.8 billion to $9.27 billion, roughly 30‑40 percent less than the $9.5‑$12.7 billion projected in 2018. The reduction reflects more than $4.5 billion already spent by states and localities...
EU Aims to Wean Itself Off of American Hyperscalers, Commits €180 Million for European Cloud Providers
The European Union has pledged €180 million (about $196 million) over six years to develop sovereign cloud services, aiming to lessen dependence on U.S. hyperscalers. Funding will be distributed among four consortia—Post Telecom with CleverCloud and OVHcloud, STACKIT, Scaleway, and Proximus with...
Beyond 99.9%: Why Public Safety Can’t Afford 'Standard' Uptime
Public safety agencies cannot tolerate the typical 99% or even 99.9% IT uptime because a single minute of outage can delay emergency response. Maintaining modern computer‑aided dispatch, records and mobile data systems demands continual upgrades and scarce cybersecurity talent that...
EU Satellite Data Shifts to Homegrown Sources by 2025
.@eusatcen, which provides satellite imagery-based security/defense reports to EU governments, is moving to center stage as @defis_eu & @esa prepare intelligence, surveillance & recon constellation. In 2011, only 8% of its data was from European sats. In 2025, it...
The Week Ahead in AI: AI Facial Recognition Warning in UK, China Court Weighs in on AI Layoffs, AI’s Oscar...
AI oversight is tightening as Britain’s watchdog warns facial‑recognition use outpaces regulation, while a Chinese court rejects AI‑driven layoffs, setting a labor‑rights precedent. The Academy also barred AI‑generated performances from Oscar eligibility, reinforcing human‑creativity standards. Meanwhile, investors eye a busy...
Seoul Expands 'Seoul Plan+' Platform with Pre‑Negotiation Data and UI Overhaul
Seoul city announced a major upgrade to its 'Seoul Plan+' online platform, adding pre‑negotiation project details, expanding coverage to 29 project types and enhancing the user interface with AI kiosks and mobile‑friendly search. The changes aim to improve transparency and...
How Europe Is Building Its Own DARPA to Counter the Drone Threat
Europe’s SPRIND (Germany) and Vinnova (Sweden) have teamed up to fund anti‑drone projects, backing teams like Czech professor Martin Saska’s EAGLE.ONE. The partnership mirrors DARPA’s challenge‑driven model but without a military focus, aiming to speed radical innovation and create sovereign...
Siemens to Show Digital Water and Waste Tools at IFAT
Siemens will showcase its digital water, wastewater and waste management solutions at IFAT 2026, the leading environmental‑technology trade fair. The portfolio features SIWA Quality Inspector for real‑time water‑quality monitoring, SIWA Treatment Optimizer with physics‑based models and digital twins, and soft‑sensor...
Air Force Names Dr. Keith Hardiman Deputy CIO, Cementing Leadership of IT and AI Programs
The Department of the Air Force announced that Dr. Keith Hardmann has been confirmed as the permanent Deputy Chief Information Officer for both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. The appointment follows his acting tenure since July 2025 and...
Non-Traditional Data in Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Identifying and Addressing First- and Last-Mile Challenges
A new paper by Mattia Mazzoli et al. examines how non‑traditional data—mobility traces, social media, wearables—were used during COVID‑19 and why they fell short. Drawing on a March 2024 Brussels workshop with 50 stakeholders and a survey of 29 epidemic modelers, the...
U.S. Cyber Officials Mull 3‑Day Fix Deadline for Exploited Flaws Amid AI Threats
Acting CISA director Nick Andersen and National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross are weighing a proposal to cut the federal deadline for remediating known exploited vulnerabilities from two‑to‑three weeks down to three days. The move is driven by fears that advanced...
Commission Blocks EU Funding for Huawei Solar Tech
The European Commission announced it will block EU funding for solar‑panel inverters supplied by high‑risk vendors such as China’s Huawei. Guidance will restrict the use of EU money on projects that rely on these components, though existing projects can apply...
London Borough of Harrow Builds Digital Twin Program One Drone Flight at a Time
The London Borough of Harrow launched a digital‑twin program using a consumer‑grade drone costing about $1,270. By layering a low‑resolution aerial mesh with high‑detail drone scans, the council saved $15,240 on a roof survey and saw strong public interaction with...
GNIDA to Launch 15 E-Buses Linking City to Noida International Airport
Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) will launch 15 electric buses on four routes linking key Greater Noida neighborhoods to the upcoming Noida International Airport. The pilot, funded at roughly ₹1.8 crore (about $217,000), will run for six months starting June 15,...
Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department Issues 2.77 Million Individual Tax Returns for 2025/26
Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department issued about 2.77 million individual tax returns for the 2025/26 assessment year and extended electronic filing deadlines to July 4, 2026. The department proposed a one‑off 100 % tax reduction capped at HK$3,000 (≈US$384) and higher allowances beginning 2026/27....
Innoviz Targets Defense and Homeland Security with LiDAR
Innoviz Technologies announced its entry into the defense and homeland security markets with two LiDAR products—InnovizSMART and InnovizTwo Ultra Long‑Range. The automotive‑grade sensors offer rugged design, up to 450 m (SMART) and 1 km (ULR) detection ranges, PoE connectivity, and resistance to...
National Highways Authority of India Warns of FASTag Blacklisting over Improper Use
India’s National Highways Authority (NHAI) has warned that motorists who use FASTag handheld rather than affixed to the windscreen risk having the tag blacklisted. The advisory stresses that proper placement enables instant RFID scanning, reducing delays at toll plazas. Improper...
India's Mission Drishti OptoSAR Satellite Launch Marks GovTech Leap in All‑Weather Imaging
India’s government and Bengaluru startup GalaxEye have placed the 190 kg Mission Drishti satellite into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon‑9, delivering the world’s first commercial OptoSAR payload. The all‑weather imaging system promises real‑time, cloud‑penetrating intelligence for civilian disaster management and military surveillance.
OpEd: Hallucinations Aren't the Big Insult in SA's Draft AI Policy
South Africa’s draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy is essentially a non‑policy, filled with vague language and six newly proposed regulatory bodies that duplicate existing agencies. The document also references an undefined Integrated AI‑Powered Monitoring Centre and contains hallucinated citations that...
Waymo Robotaxi Leaves Passenger Luggage Behind as California Eyes Ticketing Rules
Waymo’s driverless taxi drove away from San Jose International Airport with passenger Di Jin’s luggage still locked in the trunk, prompting the company to offer only paid shipping or two complimentary rides. The incident coincides with California DMV’s new rule...
German Federal Ministry of Transport Commits €1 Billion to Heavy-Duty Charging Infrastructure
Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport has allocated €1 billion (≈$1.08 billion) over four years to build heavy‑duty electric‑vehicle charging infrastructure. An initial €200 million will be awarded in three funding calls starting May 2026, covering both private depot chargers and publicly accessible stations....
Kenya's AI Health Premiums Spike, Leaving Poor Families Unable to Pay
Kenya's AI‑powered health contribution system, launched in October 2024, is systematically inflating premiums for low‑income households, charging up to 20% of their income. The Guardian reports that families now face fees of 1,030 Kenyan shillings ($10) a year, sparking protests...
For First Responders, Faster Adoption of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Means Stronger Physical Security
The Science and Technology Directorate’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) is seeing a surge in demand for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) among first‑responder agencies. To meet this need, NUSTL released a comprehensive "Small Unmanned Aircraft System Program Documentation...
The ADA Deadline Just Moved. Utilities Still Need to Act.
On April 20, 2026 the Department of Justice extended the ADA Title II web‑accessibility compliance deadline for state and local utilities to April 26, 2027 for entities serving 50,000 or more residents, and to April 26, 2028 for smaller districts. The rule mandates that all public‑facing websites,...
What a City of 25,000 Can Teach Others About Modernizing Infrastructure
The City of Lemoore, California, has entered a $24 million partnership with Energy Systems Group to modernize its entire municipal infrastructure. The comprehensive program upgrades energy, water, wastewater and building systems, adds electric‑vehicle charging and advanced metering, and is projected to...
MAS Partners Banking Industry to Tap AI, Machine Learning to Combat Financial Crime
The Monetary Authority of Singapore announced a proof‑of‑value project to use artificial intelligence and machine learning for pre‑emptive scam detection. The initiative brings together five local banks, the Government Technology Agency and the Singapore Police Force, creating a secure data‑sharing...
ENVIOTECH Raises €1M Pre-Seed for Smart Street Lighting
Frankfurt‑based ENVIOTECH secured €1 million (≈$1.09 million) in a pre‑seed round led by Jürgen Fitschen, with participation from Joachim Drees. The startup offers retrofit kits that can be installed on existing streetlights in under 15 minutes, enabling remote dimming, monitoring, and up to...
OpenAI To Extend Cyber Program to Government Agencies
OpenAI released a roadmap titled "Cybersecurity in the Intelligence Age" outlining plans to broaden its Trusted Access for Cyber (TAC) program to federal, state and local government agencies, as well as key industry players. The expansion coincides with the launch...
Top US Nuclear Regulator Is Rewriting Its Rules for New Era of Reactors
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is rewriting its rules under the 2024 ADVANCE Act, which expands the agency’s mission to weigh the risks of delaying nuclear power alongside radiation safety. The overhaul follows a series of Trump‑era executive orders that...
Launch Boosts European Earth Monitoring and Connectivity
Thirteen European satellites were launched on a SpaceX Falcon‑9 rideshare from Vandenberg, adding seven IRIDE Earth‑observation units for Italy, four Hellenic Fire System satellites for Greece, and two CubeSats testing optical communications. The IRIDE additions bring Italy’s constellation to 31...
Titan Pro All Set for E-ZPass Use
Star Systems International announced that its Titan Pro toll reader has received E‑ZPass revenue‑use approval. The device was validated across more than 30,000 complex traffic scenarios, including high‑speed and multi‑lane environments. Titan Pro supports four high‑speed antenna ports, simultaneous multi‑protocol...
India’s Digital Payments Transformation
In this episode of the Banker's Bookshelf, Balakrishnan "Baloo" Mahatavan, former NPCI executive and World Bank veteran, walks host Paolo Ceroni through India's remarkable digital payments evolution—from under a billion annual transactions in 2010 to over 225 billion by March 2025. He...
Orange to Set up AI-Driven Tourism Platform in Aragon
Orange Spain, operating as MasOrange, has been awarded a contract by the regional government of Aragon to develop an AI‑driven tourism platform. The solution will modernize the collection and management of tourism data, moving away from outdated manual processes. By...
Burundi Signs USD 6 Mln Deal to Expand 4G in Rural Areas
Burundi’s state‑owned telecom operator Onatel has signed a $5.9 million agreement with PAFEN Burundi, backed by the World Bank, to roll out 4G coverage in rural areas. The Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Digital Economy will oversee the project, which will...
Dutch Startup Intelic Sets up Drone Marketplace for European Militaries
Dutch defence‑tech startup Intelic has launched BASE, a European military drone marketplace that aggregates manufacturers from nine countries and lets ministries compare mission‑ready UAVs. The platform relies on Intelic’s Nexus command‑and‑control software to guarantee plug‑and‑play interoperability, aiming to slash procurement...
How Mongolia Is Turning Data Silos Into Cost-Efficient Governance Tools
Mongolia is converting fragmented agency data into a unified governance platform by linking its population‑housing and business registration systems. The integration enabled a mixed‑method census in 2020 that slashed costs from 15.2 billion MNT ($5.4 million) to 4.7 billion MNT ($1.7 million), with the upcoming 2025...
Water Utilities Jettison Listening Sticks and Embrace AI
Water utilities worldwide are replacing traditional leak‑detection methods, such as listening sticks, with AI‑driven analytics, satellite radar and sensor networks to cut losses, optimise energy use and prevent sewage overflows. Singapore, Japan and Chinese cities have already reduced leak rates...